A typical container of the above type is illustrated in Australian patent 694001. That container there are two side panels and two end panels and each panel is made up of a rectangular frame with a lining sheet over the frame to provide a smooth inner face for the panel. For hygienic reasons the lining sheet is usually of made of plastic. The plastic sheeting is of substantial thickness, about 6 mm, to provide the strength required to cover the openings in the panel frame, however, as with many plastics, lining sheet expands substantially when heated. Containers of the type under consideration are often exposed to conditions, such as strong sunlight, which can result in the plastic undergoing considerable expansion and buckling (inward bulging) between the fasteners whereby the plastic sheeting is fixed to the panel frame.
The erection of the panels of a container of the above form is a two step operation. First, the side panels (which are the uppermost pair in the stack of panels on the base) are erected and then the end panels are erected. Because the length of the end panels is substantially equal to the spacing apart of the side panels when erected anything which reduces that spacing will hinder, if not prevent, erection of the end panels. It has been found heat from the sun on a collapsed container can cause buckling of the plastic sheeting of the panels to the extent that it is impossible to erect the end panels of the container. This invention has been devised to address the foregoing problem.